The inhabitants of St. Columb were thrown into considerable
excitement on Sunday when it became known that the dead body of a
young lady had been discovered at Castle-an-Dinas, situate about 2
½ miles distant, castle and Castle-an-Dinas is a pyramidal hill
at the summit of which are extensive earthworks consisting of three
rings or entrenchments built of turf and rough stones, now overgrown
with gorse and heather. the outer ring is about eight feet high and
inside this hollow is much deeper, and the two inner rings are shaped
in the same manner, each being higher than it's neighbour, the
cavities between them being about equal in depth. It is supposed to
be a fort of defence and the eastern and western entrances are still
distinct. A magnificent view may be obtained from the top on a clear
day, when both the English and Bristol Channels may be seen with the
naked eye

It appears that on Saturday evening two young men named TABB who
live at Blackacre, a farm situate on the south side of the Castle
observed a young gentleman, accompanied by a young lady, cycling up
the main road, with fringes the bottom of the Downs. On reaching the
border of the wasteland they dismounted and placed their cycles in
the gateway, proceed on foot to the summit of the hill, the while
chatting and laughing together. No particular notice was taken of
this, as frequently during the summer months visitors ascend to the
hill top. On Sunday morning however the two cycles were found in the
identical position in which they were left the previous evening, and
after removing them to a house nearby, the brothers TABB went in the
direction they had seen the couple go towards Castle Rings. After
passing the first or outer ring they were horrified to find the body
of a young lady which they had not much doubt in believing to be that
of the person they saw on the previous evening accompanied by a young
man.

A message was dispatched to the police station at st. Columb and
on the arrival of Inspector NICHOLLS and P.C. COLLETT it was apparent
that a terrible tragedy had been enacted. The body was found lying on
it's back with the arms crossed over the breast the face horribly
disfigured with bullet wounds, there being one through the throat,
and two near the right eye, on bullet having penetrated through the
left eye

The wounds had the appearance of having been caused by a revolver,
held close to the face as the skin and portions of the hair were
singed.

The body was removed to St. Columb Police station where it was
identified as being that of Miss Jessie RICKARD , aged 17 or 18
years, daughter of Mr. *Pascoe RICKARD of Higher Trenowth farm, St.
Columb Major, Meanwhile a search was made for any weapons in the
vicinity, but without result, and without traces of the unfortunate
young girl' companion.

*(Pascoe Thomas RICKARD died 30 Jan 1913, buried at St. Columb.

The RICKARD family originally came from St. Columb Minor )

The Police are pursuing their enquiries, but no arrest has yet
been made, and the whereabouts of the young man are not yet known.

Great sympathy is on every side expressed towards Mr RICKARD (who
is a widower) and his family, they being held in the greatest esteem
throughout the whole neighbourhood.

It appears that on Saturday evening Miss RICKARD left her home
saying she was going to cycle to St. Mawgan, about three miles
distant, to see Miss BERRYMAN a friend. She appears to have met that
lady’s brother, Charles, who was also cycling. They were seen
together in the neighbourhood of Castle-an-Dinas by several persons ,
including Mr LYNE a School master of St. Columb, and the brothers
TABB. As recorded in Mondays issue the latter saw the couple leave
the road and go towards the ancient encampment of Castle-an-Dinas
leaving their cycles by a hedge inside the first gate, which is
approached by the beaten track of the road over some enclosed land
about 300 yards distant. From there they went to the first ring of
the encampment, formed by earthwork, then into the second ring where
they turned to the right, eventually returning to the opening of the
ring crossing and entering the ring on the left side. Nothing was
seen of either until next morning between eleven and twelve o’clock
when the TABBS were taking a stroll over the Castle, were horrified
at seeing the dead body of a girl in a grassy spot near the opening
of the ring which the couple were last seen to enter.

The poor girl was a terrible spectacle her face covered with blood
and the youths were naturally much shocked at the sight , They
immediately ran for their father , a farm labourer. Living about half
a mile away. A messenger was dispatched to the Police St. Columb and
the body was conveyed to the police-station at that place, where
after some difficulty owing to the terribly disfigured features, she
was identified. It was found that she had been shot by a revolver in
not less than six places, once in the left arm, once in the in the
left cheek, twice by the left eye, once in the neck and once behind
the left ear. She could not have lived for a second with so many
bullets in her face and head.

The father of the victim had in the meantime become much alarmed
at the absence of his daughter . Before Miss RICKARD left home she
had made arrangement to meet her father in St. Columb at ten o’clock
that evening . She did not keep that appointment, and after waiting
about half an hour, Mr RICKARD went home alone. When he discovered
that his daughter had not returned to Trenowth , he concluded that
she was staying the night with Miss BERRYMAN, but later on Sunday
when she had not returned Mr. RICKARD became anxious and went to St.
Mawgan and found his daughter was not there. His amazement increased
on being informed that Charles BERRYMAN had also not been home since
he left Mawgan on Saturday evening. The poor father’s alarm was now
great and when the news of the fate of his daughter was subsequently
conveyed to him his grief and distraction was intense.

By the time her father had ascertained that Charles BERRYMAN had
not returned to his home at St. Mawgan since Saturday evening when he
left with his bicycle. Suspicion at once fell upon him. Throughout
Sunday afternoon and evening Castle-an-Dinas had been visited by
scores of people, who hurried to the hill as soon as they heard the
news, and wondered over the great expanse in search of traces of
BERRYMAN, but without the desired result. On Monday scouring of the
hill and neighbourhood was resumed by the Police, under direction of
Supt. BASSETT. About twenty members of Cornwall Constabulary went
over the hill, and devoted their attention to every likely place near
by.

There are numerous conjectures as to where BERRYMAN went after the
tragedy. The majority of the people believe he did not go far. On
Monday morning it was stated that early in the morning a man passing
along the Goss moors saw a youth answering BERRYMAN’s description
sitting on a milestone apparently in great distress. But small heed
was paid to that rumour, or to another that the body had been found
in a large pond on the Goss Moors. The belief that BERRYMAN had not
left the district was based on the assertion that he went from home
practically without any money. When he came downstairs, just before
going out, his sister asked him if he wanted any money, putting his
hand in his trousers pocket he remarked “I’ve left mine upstairs but
I find I have seven pence and I shall not want anything” There was is
a suggestion that BERRYMAN was jealous of the attentions paid to Miss
RICKARD by a man in St. Columb, and that is given as the motive of
the crime.

BERRYMAN AND HIS RELATIVES

Charles BERRYMAN is a native of St. Columb. His *Father, who died
about seven years ago was for many years a solicitor’s clerk in St.
Columb, and for about ten years prior to his death was also the
postmaster. Charles BERRYMAN’s mother and sister with whom he lived,
resided in St. Columb until about eight months ago, when the mother
sold a little property she had in the town, and removed to Mawgan, a
pretty little village about three miles from St. Columb, where the
daughter had obtained a appointment as a post-mistress.

*(The 1881 census shows Richard BERRYMAN solicitors clerk aged 39,
living in Fore St. with wife and four children. His birth place is
given as Penzance)

Charles BERRYMAN served some years as a carpenter, and recently
talked about going to America. Indeed, it is stated that he intended
to take passage within the next week or two. Mrs BERRYMAN is at
present with her son at Cockington (Devon). The whole of the BERRYMAN
family are highly respected and Charles BERRYMAN was well spoken of
by his acquaintances.

Up to the present time BERRYMAN has not been found dead or alive.
A large number of police were scouring the country on Sunday
afternoon and during the night, all day Monday, and were assisted by
many persons, and it is estimated that 160 persons were engaged on
Sunday evening. The land of the neighbourhood is of a wild-looking
character, very open, with furze bushes and small watercourses. The
site of the Castle itself is almost covered with thick furze. The
scene of the crime is about a quarter of a mile from the road and
half a mile from the nearest house. A Bodmin man cycling home from
St. Columb on Saturday night, says he heard several shots fired in
quick succession between seven and eight o’clock.

The suspicion is that BERRYMAN has not gone far. It is stated that
he only had seven pence in his pocket when he left home on Saturday
evening, and the fact that he left his cycle near the scene of his
crime lends colour to this idea. Several persons have since asserted
that they saw a person answering his description within a few miles
of the spot. On Monday morning it was reported that a young man ran
away when approached by some workmen between St. Columb and Roche. On
Monday evening it was reported that his body had been found in a pond
about a quarter of a mile from St. Dennis junction but no
confirmation of the statement was forthcoming. The police notice
states that BERRYMAN will most likely try and leave the country. This
arises no doubt from the statement made by the man himself that he
was going to America.